Automobile-drive.



A. E. GREEN.

AUTOMOBILE DRIVE.

APPLICATION FILED 'MAY 21. 1918.

atented Feb. 11, 1,919,

A. E. GREEN.

AUTOMOBILE DRIVE.

1,293,757. ,"PLCAT'O" LED Mm m Patented Bab, 11:-,-.;1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

meshes Application alieni Lief; 55?., i218,

l To all whom may concern:

Be it known theol, inseln li. GREEN? o subject of the King of Great Britain, enel esiolentA 'of Easton, county of Aroostook? State 'of Maine, have invented an lmprove ment in Automobile-Drives; oi which the following desoriptionlin connection with the aocoinpenying drawing, is e; stoecilicatioii., lilzegoheracteis on thecliewing iepresenting like pei-ts. l

rlhis invention i'eletes to iinosoveinents in motion propelled vehicles and the principal object of the `.invention is to piovicle ineens Wheieby en automobile of the ossei may he edeptecl to be inn-,upon snow on@ loe so that the ina/chine may oe nsefl in Winde? es AWell es in suniinei'.

This is accomplished in the pie-,termal of the invention illustrete herein hy piot'iding a caterpillar traction mechanism. which may'loe substituted for the rear cliivvm Speeicaten oi hetters Eetent.

ing Wheels of the automobile and preferably also hy providing minne? .ineohenisindwhieh may be substituted for the front oi' steeiing wheels of the automobile, seid runnersflesiiebly being ailapteol to be plececlupon the ifi'ont axle skeinsend so eonstiueteel the-t the saine steering mechanism niey he opei'otetl to guide the iunnes as is nsecl to guide the usuel fronti' Wheels.

l am aware that heretofore various treotion ineens have been design/eci to enable en toniobiles to 7oe iii'iven upon ice snowj Such ineens usually being gripping members or rims having gripping plates -appliecl to the real' Wheels of the automooile.r l :ini .se

e 'awa-re thatit hes heretofore been propos-eil to substitutecaterpillar traction mechanism. for the rear Wheels of the eiitoinohile for this purpose but the wheels of :inch cater-pil ler traction mechanisms if mede oi solisten1 tielly the size of the usual Wheels of 'the' to mobile occupy so great e space alongside the machine as toineke the seine' einnhes-fene Y 'A and diiiiciilt to drive., Whereas i Wheels are used in the cetei'pillei time mechanism it* is quite impossible to dz'ive t caterpillar chain with sulicient spe-eli to en able the `mitonioloile to piiogess ovei' ground with desirable epility.

Another object of the piesent inventien therefore, is to povicle e. eatez'pillei' tion mechanism of e compact ehem/telf which Wheels of substantially the same oiii s eter as the usuel Wheels of the niey 1oe utilized in 4vwhich e suoient ernennt o tee-eel may he obtained to provide i011 the proper propelling of tie vehicle Without occupying on undesirable amount of spece oi' interfering with the proper guiding o the machine.

rThis is :icoon/@lished in the present invention hy .proviiing vototehle niexnbers opeieole ioni the rear or cliiving Xle oi the automobile, l ieinloeis being located in suoli poziiniity e thei: peripheriesoveiiep each other, .ineens being provided :lofl

ing; a traction ohain having ble ribs, i nges or ections to engage the snow or ic inl suoli o, manner to pio "eliiele pifopenly.

t invention eonsists l d tnefotete' le oeinbeis which lieve their peiiplieifies overlapping' with ineens for actuating e suitable traction chai 5 the chain engaging ineens of one dish beine;

ecleptefl to pees het/Ween the chain engegin means of vthe othei' olisli,

Another featui'e of the invention consists in the s duction, oi? a. special fono of tion @hein adapted, tfo he eppliecl to the ovei'- lapping rotatable members. i

A *further object of the invention is to piro viele e diiving; gee-ring for seicl rotatable members' in which the driving and diven -ifoeniheit's may be so elosely together Vthat transmit rotation ioni one tlieiic'pei"ipliei'ies will oveila-p with e chain eioonil seid ineniheis edepted to to the othei' liLoie loi-Godly the e-ojeet of the invention consists inthe pi'ocliietion of powe transmitting mechanism comi vising tivo rotatable inein'heis so positionel that tlieii1 peiipheries overlap with en endless chain surrounding the eqleptecl to tiansinit iototive movement oni one to the other. It also l @reelection o'l Cetes 'ni-.ein eoinpi-siig e pil i anni e.. -A

s t c e ce min anbei-s.

ei. object of tle invention is to poviie special ifoiin of mnnei or shoe Whieli een be nonni-,eel .pon the sigle skein i0 usuel ste-effing linnelle and in which the longitudinal veitieal medien plano will eoinenlent with the exis of the pivot of the steei'ing; l ll- ,v iereby the shoe may lieie veliiele without im through an arc about 4the axis of the steering knuckle.` Furthermore, by this construe tion a more sensitive and positive control of' the steeringr mechanism is produced.

. Other objects andv features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

rlhe drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment'of my invention as applied to the chassis of .an automobile to adapt the same to be driven on ice or snow, it being understood however that the broad principles embodied in the tractiom mechanism disclosed herein may be used imconnection with any other type of traction or power transmitting mechanism.

In the drawings,

`Figure 1 is a plan view of the chassis of Jan automobile lwith my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a'detail side view of the rotatable members having their peripheries over1ap-` ping and carrying an endless traction chain, said view also 'illustrates a preferred form of novel driving mechanism for rotating one ot' said members from the main shaft of the automobile,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the sprocket chain showing its relation to the iotatable members upon which it is mounted. 351,;

' ferred; form of link for the traction chain, Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of a por? l Fig 4v is a perspective view ot a pretion of the front end of the frame. and springs ofan automobile showiiiga ruimer embodying; my invention substituted for the usual steering wheel,

Fig. 6 is a front elevation' of a i'iretferred forni of runner and bracket adapted to be substituted for the front wheel of an automobile. i A

The invention is illustrated herein as applied to a typical automobile chassis comprising a main frame having longitudinally extending side bars 1, 2,2 connected by end bars 3,- 4 and having usualvi'ront springs 5 and rear springs G. The front axle 7.is rigidly supported b v the front springs 5 and is provided at its ends with steering knuckles 8 having usual outwardly extending skeins 9 also having arms'l() connected to a radius bar 11. Oi-ie of saidfstcering `knuckles has an arm 12 which is connected by a link 13 to an arm 14 which is operated by the steering wheel 15y in the usual manner.

rlhe engine or motor 1G is mounted upon a sub-frame comprising end members 1S, 19 secured to the side frame members 1 and '2 and connected to each other by longitudidinally extending girders 20, 21. A usualclutch 22, transmission 23 and driving shaft 24 is provided for driving the rear axle through the usual differential mechanism contained in a diii'erential case which is carried by or forms part ofa rigid dead axle 26 in which a rotating driving axle is journaled, said driving axle being actuated through the diicrential as is customary in machines of this type.

"The mechanism thus briefiy described may be of any suitable form in which power is transmitted from a suitable motor to the driving axle of the vehicle, whether the. saine be driven through the rear axle as is usual in automobile construction or by special mechanism through the front axle.

The principal feature of the present inl vention consists in providing a caterpillar traction means which may be substituted for the usual driving wheels of a vehicle to afford a siii'iicient gripping surface to insure proper propulsion of the vehicle upon ice and snow; which will neither occupy too great a space alongside the vehicle nor interfere with the proper sten-ing thereof and which will enable the vehicle to be driven at substantially the sinne speed as when supported upon wheels and driven upon a solid road. i y

The mechanism for accomplishing this purpose, a preferred form of which is illus-` trated herein, comprises a pair of substair tially U-sliaped iframe members 27, 28 having journals 29, 30 for a supplemental shat't 31 which serves to connect said U-shaped members 27. The shaft 31 is journaled in bearings 32, 33 upon brackets 34, which are clampedor otherwise secured to the dead axle 26. Botatable members, preferably in the form of disks 36, 37 are mounted upon the ends of the supplemental axle 31, said disks being' provided with chain engaging members preferably in the form ot' pins 38 bers may be placed at such distance apart as to give the desired tread to the traction chain, the peripheries of said rotatable membersy overlapping each other and the chain engaging members or pins of one disk passing between the chain engaging mem-- bers or pins of the compleinentary disk.

v reason ot this construction a caterpillai tread may be provided which will have a ground gripping surface, less tl 'combined length of the radii of fi table members, thus providing gripping` area to insure the propr... sion of the machine at a high speed out taking up an undesi lable distance a the side of the frame of the machine c ducing so long a tread surface 'as to iin' fore Withthe steering of the machine.

Any suitable traction chain may .be A. desirable form Which is illustrated hf in comprises a series of links e6 ivh as illustrated in Fig. Ll, are construct of sheetmetal in the form of plates liavingr'upturned edges 47 to provide gripping calks. Additional calks e8, i9 mayv be formed by .slitting the longitudinal central portion or" the plate and turning the edges of the slit upwardly as illustrated.

The plates 46 are provided with extended end portions, parts 50 of which are bent back sharplyagainst the reverse side oi tlie plate, the remainder of said end portions being`-ben|t downwardly as flanges 5l, these flanges are provided with apertures 52 to receive pinsv which connect the adjacent links to each other to form a chain, tbe space between the flanges 52y being illed with spacing links as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The llanges 51 are provided with driving teeth the recesses 54:, 55 between which are adapted t0 receive tliepins 38 and #l5 of the rotatable members 337 and 39-40.

' Preferably the pins 38 of one pair or rotatable members or disks always engage tbe recesses 54 or' the links I6 While the pins upon the other rotatable member or disl; engage the recesses 55 of the links 6. This construction insures the maintenance of 1Llie chain engaging members orpins in proper relation at all times and an effective drivingof the chains. The links i6 preferably are also provided nvith guide plates 5G, :li-.7 which are Welded, riveted or otherwise cured to the ends of the links to provide a guidevvay for/ tbcperiplieries of the dislrs -ifand ZES-l0 respectively, these flanges serving to prevent the chain from Working oil duringthe rapid rotation of the rotatable members.

The rotatable members 36-37 may be driven from the driving axle of the antoine bilel in any desired manner. As illust' herein a driving mechanism simil; for smgptnting and actnatinif the chain is provided. .lflie hubs itl el pii ing;q met iers 59 are rigidly soeur driving' sliaii't, which is illustrn 'ec the rear live axle. These preferably comprise disks havin pins :'30 projecting laterally.' adapted to engage receC a chain similar to the l1 chain but Without bavingytlie calles or i guides. The complemcntari.7

nfriplieries to overlap. in f.. is 'upon one disk pass be :me .ipon the otner disk as above iture of the invention coinostitntion of rnnners or slices Wheels oit the automobile, said pted to steer the machine i-n Lne front Wheels of the usual closed herein. the shoes comprise having npnvardly erfcnding ynich brackets 68 are p otally i or bolts 60, The brackets mth laterally oiiset portions TU npperends terminate in hubs to "t and secured u or the steering.` lnnclcles c line.. secnrednpon said slreins usual nn YQ. The brackets G8 are sufriciently onset to anse the vertical lon 'tudinal median plane of the runners 66 te be coincident Witl the vertical axes of the steering knuckles so that the runners when turned. will swing about a point directly under the of the steering; knuckle the are et. a circle.

ln or 'o maintain the bracket in vertical position brace rods T3 are provided '-.vliicli are pivotally secured at one end to 4binclc' @Uiat the other end provided h boss-es .75 which embrace vertical cylinical portions the brackets Springs upon .the runners 6G and abi per ends inst the ind serveto retain Y-l'lie exible .movement bet-Ween the lower ends of :iets G8 and the runners 66.

in arder to transform an ordinaryv automobile into motor propelled vehicle :for sneiv it is therefore mer remove the rear Wire-eis fr mrs a@ l :Cllr i1 ai L, e front nvheels ci the autothe hubs il of the brach-1 -d in sntlicient proximity position and also to permit. rree' @"5 te i and not tiiroug'li l ncc- ' plete.

It is to be understood that the traction mechanism illustrated herein is not designed merely for the 'urpose of use in the pro ulsion of automo iles upon snow and ice' but that it is of'geiieral utility and maybe em-v ployed in any place in which it is desirable lto preserve the size of two or more rotatablemembers and still have them support and actuate an endless chain..

It will be understood that while disks having pins projecting laterally near their peripheries are illustrated herein and referred to as disks in the foregoing descri tion the term disk is intended to be of su ciently broad scope to cover .wheels of 'any character or diameter or any other rotatable member which is lada. ted to ,support and properly to engage a riving or a traction chain such as defined by the following claims.

The embodiment of thev invention disclosed herein is illustrative in character and not restrictive and various modifications may be made iwithin the spirit and scope of the following claims. y

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

1. A traction attachment for automobiles comprising a frame adapted to be secured to the chassis of the automobile, carrying a pair of caterpillar tractors, each consisting of a pair o" overlapping rotatable members of substantially the saine diameter as the original driving wheels of the automobile,

having an endless chain mounted thereon, the shafts cf said rotatable members being in such proximity that the tread of said traction chain is .less than the combined length of the radii of said rotatable members, and means fordriving said rotatable members from the driving axle of the automobile.

2. A traction attachment for automobiles comprising a frame adaptedto be secured to the chassis of the automobile, carrying a pair of caterpillar tractors cach consisting of apair of overlapping rotatable members of substantially the same diameter as the original driving wheels of the automobile, having laterally extending chain engaging members` an endless traction chain mounted thereon provided with teeth engaging said chain engaging members, the shafts of said rotatable members being in such proximity that the tread of said traction chain is less than the combined length of the radii of said rotatable members and means for driv-A imgrr said rotatable members from the driving axle of the automobile.

v3. A traetion attachment for automobiles wmprising a supplementary frame, adapted 'to be secured to the chassis of the automo-i` bile, a pair of shafts journaled in said sup-l plemental frame, rotatable members having their peripheries overlapping mounted upon said shafts, an endless traction chain mounted upon said rotatable members and means independent of said traction chain for rotating said rotatable members from the driving axle of the automobile.

4. Caterpillar -traction mechanism comprisin an endless traction chain, a pair of rotata le members for supporting and actuating said chain having means engaging said traction chain, the axes of the rotatable members being placed in such proximity that the chain engaging means of each of said rotatable members will pass between the chain-en aging means of the other rotatable mem er.

5. Caterpillar traction mechanism comprising a frame, rotatable members mounted on said frame having theirv peripheries overlapping each other andan endless traction chain, having'driving teeth, mounted upon the peripheries of each of said rotatable members, means upon said rotatable members engaging the teeth of said chain and means for rotating one of said rotatable members.

6. 'Caterpillar traction mechanism coinprisinga frame, a pair of rotatable members mounted upon said frame and having their peripheries overlapping each other, pins located adjacent the peripheries of each of said rotatable members, the pins upon each rotatable member extending toward the inounted upon said frame and having their peripheries overlapping each Vother, pii'fs located` adjacent the peripheri of each of said rotatable members` the pins upon each rotatable member extending toward the other rotatable member and adapted to pass between the pins upon the latter upon the rotation ot' said rotatable members, an endless traction chain comprising links having means for engaging the pins upon said rotatable members and guides to embrace the peripheries of said rotatable members and means for rotating one of said rotatable membcrs. i

9, Traction meehanism comprising a driving shaft. a iframe, a pair ot'. supplemental shafts journaled therein. a pair of rotatable members mounted respeetive-l upon said supplemental shafts and having their peripheries over]ripping7 pins project-ing from each of said rotatable members toward the y other rotatable member and adapted. to pass between the pins upon the latterl upon the rotation of said rotatalde members, an endless traction chain having` links provided with means to engage said pins. means for driving one of said lsupplemental shafts from said driving shaft thereby to rot-ate said rotatable members.

f). '.lra'ction mechanism comprising a driving shat't` a frame, a pair ot' supplen'iental 'l shafts jonrimted therein. a pair ot'rotatable members mtalnted respectively upon said snppleniental shafts and having their peripheriesoverlapping, pins projecting from each of said rotatable members toward the other rotatable. member and adapted to pass between the pins upon the latter upon the/rotation ot' said rotatable members, an endless traction chain having links provided with means to engage said pins, means Vfor driving one of said supplemental shafts from said driving shaft comprising a pair of' overlapping rotatable members having pins located within the periphery of each rotatablemember and extending toward the other rotatable member and an endless chain having links engaging the pins upon said rotatable members.

10. Caterpillar traction mechanism comprising a frame, rotatable members mounted upon said frame having their` peripheries overlapping each other, pins located adjacent the peripheries of said rotatable members, the pins upon each member extending toward the lother member and adapted to pass between the pins on the latter upon the v rotation of said members, an endless traction 'Q'chain having pin receiving recesses positioned to engage alterately the pins of the respective rotatable members.

11:' Caterpillar' traction mechanism comjnisi'ng a frame, rotatable members mounted upon said frame having their peripheries overlapping eac-'h other, pins located adjacent the, peripheries of said rotatable members, the pins upon each member extending toward the other member and adapt-ed to pas-` between the pins on the latter upon the rotation of' said members, an endless traction chain comprising links, each having tivo pin receivin recesses, one of said recesses being positioned to engage the pins of one of saidl rotatable members and the other recess to engage the pins ot' the other rotatable member.

12. An endless traction chain comprising a series ot' links consisting of plates having upon one side projecting gripping surfaces and upon the other side flanges p'ivotally connected together at their ends and having recesses to receive pins upon a rota-table member` guides extending iat. parallelism with .said flanges adapted in cooperation with said flanges to embrace the periphery of the. rotatable members.

1B. A link for a traction chain comprising a plate ot sheet metal having projecting instrumentalities to provide a traction surface, the ends ot' said plates being folded in upon the body ot the plate and-bent downwardly to Jt'orm flanges, alined pivot receiving apertures in said flanges adjacent the ends thereface, and upon the opposite side fianges projecting normally thereto provided with alined apertures to receive pivotal means for connect-ing adjacent links, guiding means secured to said plate extending in parallelism u'ith said flanges but spaced apart therefrom to form guideways for the periphery of a rotatable member upon which the chain is mounted.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

AUSTIN E. GREEN. 

